Council Considers Review Of AJPD
Last independent, 3rd party review of police department was in 2003
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
APACHE JUNCTION- City Manager George Hoffman encouraged the city council to consider a third-party, independent review of the police department during the governing body’s work session on Monday, March 31.
   “I’d like to begin by saying that has been, and remains, my encouragement that we have a third-party review of our municipal operations associated with public safety,” Hoffman said. “I recommended the review five years ago, resulting in the Buracker report, and I am on record as encouraging a review every five years, regardless of the circumstances of the moment.”
   Hoffman said he encourages this review, which would begin next fiscal year even though it is budgeted for this year, for several reasons.
   “First, public safety is of vital importance to the community. Second, it represents the largest allocation of resources by department in your general fund budget. Third, the issues P.D. deals with are often difficult and represent one of the major challenges for any municipality.”
   The Police Department’s budgeted expenditures for the last five years is $36.7 million. The budgeted amount for the review in fiscal year 2008-2009 is $75,000.
   “The review’s a considerable expense. The allocation for public safety over the last five years is clearly a very considerable expense,” Hoffman said. Hoffman was stern when he told the city council that the review recommendation has nothing to do with the last police administration, headed up by former chief Glenn Walp.

See A-1 and see City Council, A-5

Officer Saves Infant
Officer Bramlett rescues 12-day-old baby not breathing
An Apache Junction Police officer saved the life of a 12-dayold infant last week by providing life saving CPR.
   Officer Jake Bramlett received a call around 10 a.m. on April 2, 2008 to respond to S. Cedar Street in reference to 12-day old infant that was choking.
   While en route Bramlett learned that the tiny infant had stopped breathing. He immediately began lifesaving breathing to the infant upon arrival. The baby responded to Bramlett’s efforts and began to breathe.
   Apache Junction Fire District paramedics responded to the scene and the baby was transported to a local hospital.
   “Without his (Bramlett) quick actions, the child could have gone into cardiac arrest,” said Fire Captain Paul Perkins, who commended Bramlett for doing a “great job.”

Clark Crowned Regional Queen
4-month old Reagan Clark to compete in National Pageant
By Meghan McCoy
The News
One of Apache Junction’s newest residents was awarded the title of “Regional Queen” last month.
   Parents’ Joe and Dana Clark decided to enter the newest member of their family, 4-month old Reagan Clark, in the Baby Miss American Starlet Pageant on March 30, 2008 at the Mesa Convention Center.
   Both Joe and Dana have lived in Apache Junction on and off since junior high school and graduated from Apache Junction High School in 2001. They have been married for five years. The Clarks’ also have a two-year old son.
   Dana said she heard about the pageant through a friend and thought it might be fun to attend. “It is definitely something I would suggest to others,” she added. She said it is a great way to give young girls confidence before they get older.
   Reagan was escorted down the runway by her mother, who was trying to encourage her to smile for the judges. Dana said before the event she had to fill out a questionnaire about the different activities her daughter does along with her likes and dislikes.
   Reagan was awarded the title of Regional Queen in the Miss American Starlet Pageant in Mesa and will be continuing on to the Grand National Pageant in Palm Springs, CA. this July. She will be competing for the title of Grand National Miss American Starlet Queen. If she is crowned she will receive a savings bond among other prizes.
   “We are kind of excited about it,” Dana added. “It should be lots of fun.”

Citizen Leadership Institute Graduates 23 Students
City’s award-winning program produces 10th class

The City of Apache Junction’s tenth Citizen Leadership Institute has graduated its 2008 class of 23 students with honors. This innovative program consisted of eight evening sessions covering diverse subjects of interest to the community related to local city government and municipal services.
   In addition, special guest speakers such as Superintendent of the Apache Junction School District Dr. Greg Wyman and Apache Junction Fire District Chief Dan Campbell, discussed related topics of interest impacting every resident of Apache Junction.
   Classes were held two weeks apart for two and half-hours each session and covered a wide range of community and citizen interest areas. All students were required to complete six of the eight regular sessions and attend a City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
   Each session focused on a different area of government such as planning and zoning, economic development, the role of economic development, the role of the citizen, and budgeting. Sessions also developed information updating the city’s future growth in the Lost Dutchman Heights area, Downtown Redevelopment, the preservation of open space and multiple service areas such and public safety, public works and parks and recreation programs.

See A-1 and see Leadership, A-5

Boys Track Runs 15th At Chandler Rotary
McCullen 3rd in 200 meters; Crespo 6th in discus; Morgan 6th in triple jump
By Chuck Baker
The News
Normally you wouldn’t think that scoring 12 team points at a track and field meet as a very successful outing. Unless, of course, you are talking about the Chandler Rotary Meet held March 28 and 29 at Chandler High School.
   The 68th Annual Chandler Rotary Meet drew some 2,300 athletes from four states and Canada and featured the best Arizona track and field stars regardless of division.
   So when Apache Junction’s Shane McCullen earned six points by placing 3rd in the finals of the 200 meters, and seniors Louie Crespo and Josh Morgan earned three points with their sixth place finish in discus and triple jump, respectively, it gave the Prospectors a tie for 15th place overall.
   Only forty-one schools even scored points at the meet considered to be one of the best in the entire southwest. Apache Junction finished as the third best school in the 4A division and as the top scoring school from the Desert Sky Region. The only 4A schools that fared better were Agua Fria (9th place) and Flagstaff Sinagua (14th place).
   Fellow Desert Sky Region schools, Tempe McClintock placed 25th (8 team points), Phoenix Shadow Mountain was tied for 38th (3 team points) and Scottsdale Chaparral ended up tying for 40th place with just two team points.
   Competing on Saturday in the seeded finals, McCullen ran an electronic time of 22:13 in the preliminary races and qualified sixth overall for the finals. In the finals, McCullen went even faster, running third overall with a time of 22:11; just one-onehundreths of a second off the AJHS school record of 22:10 set by former speedster Ryan Allan back in 2003.

See C-1 and see TRACK, C-3